Aromatic carbonate polymers are well known thermoplastic materials which, due to their many advantageous properties, find use as thermoplastic engineering materials. The aromatic carbonate polymers exhibit, for example, excellent properties of toughness, impact resistance, heat resistance and dimensional stability. Not only are molded parts prepared from aromatic carbonate polymers, but films and sheet materials as well. Because of its excellent property spectrum, aromatic carbonate polymers such as aromatic polycarbonate have been proposed for various utilities including those relating to medical packaging, for example the containers in which syringes, surgical instruments, intravenous fluids, operating room devices, and the like are maintained. Additionally polycarbonate has been used in medical devices such as blood oxygenators, anesthesia canisters, intravenous connectors and accessories, blood centrifuge bowls, surgical instruments and operating room instruments. The toughness of the polycarbonate as well as its clarity, high heat resistance, strength and good blood compatibility make it a potential substance of choice in this high technology medical device and packaging market. Sterilization of these articles used in the medical arts and other technologies is often times required.
However, one particular difficulty with certain sterilization techniques has been discovered. A typical method of sterilizing various objects useful in medical practice is through irradiation. The type of radiation usually employed is low level gamma radiation. It is readily apparent that the level of gamma radiation which accomplishes the sterilization is significantly above that of ordinary background radiation. When exposed to radiation which is of sufficient strength and duration to sterilize various objects, the aromatic carbonate polymeric material is subject to yellowing. This yellowing changes the color of the aromatic carbonate, thus reducing its utility for this particular application. Not only packaging materials such as flexible aromatic carbonate film and sheet products but also molded parts as well suffer from this 10 yellowing phenomenon.
A new family of additives has been discovered which inhibits the yellowing of aromatic carbonate polymers after exposure to sterilization irradiation. By sterilization irradiation is meant irradiation which kills microorganisms.